Hamburg's Olympic dreams: Resistance is growing - another application is in danger!

Hamburg's Olympic dreams: Resistance is growing - another application is in danger!

On November 29, 2015 there was a vote in Hamburg that should go down in the history books. The city wanted to apply for the 2024 Summer Olympics, but in the end only 48% of citizens voted in favor of the application. The result came as a shock to supporters, especially given previous polls showing that 63% of Hamburg residents supported the plans. Ultimately, the application was rejected with 51.6% of the vote and the voter turnout was 50.2% - a historic plebiscite that is considered the first direct democratic vote in Hamburg. [NDR]. Background and effects of that vote.

The decision came in a politically tense environment. While the application was actively supported by numerous parties, including the SPD, CDU, Greens, AfD and FDP as well as Hamburger SV, there was also a well-organized opposition. The left and the “Youth Against the Olympics” initiative vehemently criticized the plans, fearing negative effects on the city's quality of life, gentrification and rising rents. In addition, external factors such as the refugee situation in 2015 and the rapidly increasing costs of other projects caused additional skepticism among voters.

A new attempt?

Now, almost ten years after defeat in the referendum, Hamburg is once again faced with an Olympic bid. Resistance has grown again - especially from the German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND), which vehemently rejects the application. The BUND warns of negative consequences for people, nature, climate and urban development. A protest action on Jungfernstieg is already planned for November 29, 2025 to demonstrate against this new initiative.

The “NOlympia” initiative has also reactivated itself and is mobilizing against the application. In order to involve the population, citizen dialogues took place in all seven districts of Hamburg. In addition, an online survey will run until mid-December 2025 to collect citizens' opinions. Initial results are already promising for opponents of the application: According to a non-representative survey, 60% of respondents are skeptical about the application.

Support and pressure

Surprisingly, the federal government has clearly pledged its support for a German bid for the Olympics. An agreement between the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and the applicants is about to be signed. In addition, Munich has already voted for its own Olympic bid, which puts further pressure on the other cities to take action. Despite this tailwind, skepticism remains high among the Hamburg population, and the upcoming protests show that the issue remains an extremely hot topic.

The people of Hamburg are once again required to deal with the possibilities and risks of applying for the Olympics. It remains to be seen whether the city has learned from the experiences of 2015 and whether resistance will increase or perhaps even weaken in the coming months. The fact is that Hamburg is in a crucial phase - something is happening!